Just send your kids to Sidwell. Hire a driver.

Yeah, I think that this is why some people leave Capitol Hill for VA or NW. It’s a cute neighborhood, but it’s not worth the school stress.

I think people either thought it through before deciding to live on the Hill, or they're just less particular than you are about DCPS/secularism/progressiveness/long bus rides.

Anonymous wrote:I live in NW but ya it surprises me that there is no secular private high school near you - seems like it would be popular. Moving a private school in DC has become difficult because of the NIMBYs, at least where l live in NW - see GDS and River. You’d think a private school was worse than the vacant stores and vape shops on Wisconsin, the way the neighbors behave.

+1

I live in NW but ya it surprises me that there is no secular private high school near you - seems like it would be popular. Moving a private school in DC has become difficult because of the NIMBYs, at least where l live in NW - see GDS and River. You’d think a private school was worse than the vacant stores and vape shops on Wisconsin, the way the neighbors behave.

The middle school options on the Hill are rough. The District breaks up what could be stronger feeder patterns into one solid middle school into three.

I agree that the elementary (ehhh, maybe not all the way to 5th, but definitely early elementary) options are okay, but the 6-8 situation is tough.

Ask why local neighborhoods restrict the growth of successful privates in DC.

Real Hill folk send their kids to public through 8th then private HS or Walls/Banneker. If you live on the Hill and refuse to send your kid to Brent, Maury, Payne or LT, that’s 100% on you.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of Hill kids at Friends Community School.

OP is asking for secular.

I think you are overestimating the appetite for a non-Catholic traditional public school. In general families on the Hill aren't *that* wealthy, so they're not going to pay top-dollar tuition, and the appetite would be for upper elementary and middle school, which is a time when parents want more infrastructure in terms of indoor and outdoor space, fields, etc., and are likely to also want the breadth that a big school can offer. Where would such a building be found?

This is why so many people move to VA or NW when they have kids.

Wow. Your entitlement is stunning, it’s hard to know where to begin.
You have a local progressive and traditional private option, several decent public choices, and schools that provide busses.

Additionally, you’ve chosen to live in a densely packed and old location, so developing a campus in the last century would be fairly impossible.

Long story short- you can’t always get what you want.

There aren’t enough families?

Lots of Hill kids at Friends Community School.

I realize most Washingtonians on this thread likely live in Northwest, but I need a second to vent, as a Capitol Hill resident.

There is an appetite for more options.
- Our public early elementary choices are somewhat fine, but there’s a steep drop off as kids get older.
- I respect Capitol Hill Day School as a choice for some families who embrace a very, very progressive education model. We’re more traditional in our approach.
- St. Peter’s is also an option for some Catholic families, and I respect that they educate their children in their faith tradition. We aren’t Catholic, so this isn’t an option for us.
- Many Capitol Hill families opt to do the Potomac School because of their bus program, and there’s so many wonderful advantages to Potomac. Their high school course catalog and campus are truly inspirational. We’re reluctant to send our little ones so far away/add a long commute to their every day.
- Many families play the lottery for Basis or Latin charters, and admissions is all luck.

I doubt I’m alone in asking “HOW is there not another viable, more traditional secular private school to meet this Capitol Hill appetite?”